Balloon or sir-ship.



Fig.1.

A. P. GODEFROY.

BALLOON 0B AIR SHIP. APPLICATION 31mm JAN. 10, 1908.

909,397. Patented Jan. 12,1909.

N '\i a 01 bn -l LL WITNESSES: Ill/VENTOR 3W 61 51 m F. Godefroy.

Unrrnn STATES; Parana nice.

ALEXANDRE F. GODEFROY, OF MEXICO, MEXICO.

BALLOON OR AIR-SHIP.

Application filed January 10, 1908. Serial No. 410,148.

To all whom it may concem:

' Be it known that-I, ALEXANDRE F. Goon .FROY, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Mexico, D. F., in the Republic of Mexico, have invented a certain new and useful Balloon or Air-Ship, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use stance, when the suns rays strike the gas receptacle. In either case, the gas may come in contact with the motor 'while mixed with only sufficient air to form an explosive mixture and the vessel is liable to be destroyed by the explosion of the mixture of gas and air.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide means whereby the gas escaping from the gas receptacle is mixed with a suflicient quantity of air to form a nonexplosive mixture and also as a further precaution to discharge the mixture in such a direction that it is carried away from the motor.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved means for controlling the direction in which the balloon or airship is propelled.

' parts n both views of the drawings.

5 represents the bag of impervious material which forms the gas receptacle. In the drawings I have shown this bag as being spherical in form; it may, however, be of any suitable form. The bag 5 is enveloped in the usual netting 6 carrying at its lower end; a ring I from which is suspended by means of ropes 8, the basket or car 9.

10 representsa conduit which is supported by the netting 6 and extends from one side of the gas receptacle to the-other. This conduit 10 is provided at one end with an intake Specification of Letters Patent.

Eatented Jan. 12, 1909.

11 preferably in the form of a funnel and at the otherend with a discharge nozzle 12. This discharge nozzle 12 is connected with the main portion of the conduit 10 by means of a revohible jointlfi so as to allow the nozzle 12 to be turned in diiicrent directions for a purpose hereafterto be more fully described.

14 IS a an which is arranged at about the central part of the conduit 10. This fan 14 isdriven'by means of a belt l5 from a motor 16 contained in the car or basket 91 This motor 16 also drives a shaft 17 carrying at its extremity a pro eller l8.

19is a sail which is carried by the netting c at a point above the ropeller ].8.-

20 is a gas passage 'eading from the top of the gas receptacle 5 to the intake 11 01' the conduit 10. The escape of the gas into the assage '20 is controlled by means of a valve 21. This valve 21 is adapted to be opened by means of a cord 22 passing down throughthe gas receptacle 5 and through a tube 23 to a point Within reach of the occupant of the basket or car 9. Leading from the bottom of the gas receptacle 5 is a gas passage 2-1 which connects with the conduit 10 preferably a short distance in front of the fan 14. In the o eration of the device, the fan 14 is rotated y means of the motor 16 so as to draw air in through the funnel 11 and discharge it through the nozzle 12, thus uroelling the balloon in the direction in w rich the intake or funnel 11 is ointed. In order to control the'rise and fal of the balloon the nozzle 12 may be either pointed u wardly so as to discharge against the sai 19, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, or it may be turned down' so as to discharge in proximity to the propeller 18, as shown in dotted lines in-Figfl and full lines in Fig. 2. 12 may also be turned laterally so as to cause the balloon to rotate on its ,vertical axis and thus change its direction. When gas escapes from the balloon either through the passage 20 or thepassage 24,. it is drawn ihto the conduit 10 by the suction of the {an 14; and there mixed with a sullicient quantity .of air-to render the mixture.nonvxplosive, and is discharged through the nozzle .1 22 at a distance from the motor 16. In this way the safety of the balloon is insured and at the same time no additional meclnn'usm rerggired as the propelling mechanism on a,

led to perform t -e function of mixing .5.-

The nozzle.

' and air and discharging it away from we motor 16. 7

Having fully described my invention, What I, claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent of the United States is:

-1. In an aerial vessel, the combination with a gas receptacle, of a condult leading forc nf'air through said conduit.

2.; 11 an aer al vessel, the combination with a gas receptacle, of an air intake situ-.

ated substantiallymidway of the height of said receptacle, a valved gas conduit leading from the upper part of said gas'receptacle downward to said intake, an air conduit leading downwardlyfrom sa1d intake and terminatingat the opposite side "of said receptacle, and means for forcing air through said conduit. p

3; Inan aerial vessel, the, combination with a gas receptacle, of a conduit leading from one side of said receptacle to the other,

an intake at one end of said conduit, a discharge, nozzle at the other end of said conduit, a'propell'e'r adjacent to said discharge nozzle, asail also adjacent to said discharge nozzle, 's'aid nozzle being movable to dis charge the air in proximity to either said propeller or sail, and means for forcing an through said conduit;

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set :3

my. hand and affixed my seal in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDRE r. GODEFROY. [a a] Witnesses:

E. F. GODEFROY, ADOLPH F. GODEFROY. 

